The invention pertains to the general field of vehicle novelty lights and more particularly to a light that is attached to the tip of a vehicle antenna and that illuminates when darkness appears and the vehicle is moving.
Vehicles have long been modified by adding aftermarket accessories to enhance the aesthetics of the vehicle and/or to reflect the personality of the vehicle""s owner. Typical enhancements include, but are not limited to, special vehicle paints such as metallic and flake finishes, various designs of alloy wheels, pin stripping and simulated flames, and various add-on lights. The additional lights, which are typically added to license plate frames can consist of blinking lights or a neon light that surrounds the license plate frame, gear shift lights and tire valve lights that illuminate when the vehicle wheels rotate. The use of lights can add decorative, dramatic and highly visible alterations without having to make major changes to the vehicle itself.
A search of the prior art, which included patents and related literature, did not disclose any lights that attach the top of a vehicle antenna. However, the following U.S. patents that cover attachment structures are considered related:
The U.S. Pat. No. 6,119,714 issued to otzen discloses a valve cap for an installation having interior air pressure. The cap includes an upper sleeve portion with a central recess for receiving a pair of pressure indicating inserts. The inserts are received in the recess, and each displays one digit of a desired inflation pressure on its upper surface.
The U.S Pat. No. 6,102,064 issued to Robinson discloses a theft resistant valve cap including a liner adapted for threaded engagement with a standard pneumatic tire stem valve, a sleeve rotatably mounted with the liner to shroud it and an interlocking feature to selectively prevent axial displacement between the liner and the sleeve. The interlocking feature includes a screw threaded into an aperture in the sleeve. The screw can be removed after the valve cap has been installed, in this fashion, the liner and the sleeve are in a fixed axial position with respect to each other.
The U.S. Pat. No. 5,341,833 issued to Davis discloses a tire valve cap for a flush mounted tire valve which seals the tire valve against external debris and internal leakage. Slits located in the wall of the cap allow the cap to act like a spring after insertion and to permit any internal leakage to intensify the sealing properties of the cap to the valve.
The vehicle antenna light assembly is designed to function as a novelty light that is easily attached or detached from the tip of a vehicle antenna. In its basic design, the assembly consist of:
a) an electronic light enclosure that encloses a battery powered electronic light circuit having means for activating at least one LED and,
b) means for removably attaching the electronic light enclosure to the vehicle antenna tip.
The electronic enclosure is dimensioned to include all the circuit elements and batteries to operate the at least one LED that automatically illuminates when the external environment is dark and the vehicle is moving. The batteries consist of button batteries that are easily accessible when replacement is required on the upper edge of the enclosure is attached a transparent cap. The cap can be designed to include a reflecting lens that increases the LED illumination and provides side illumination.
The invention features an antenna tip attachment means that allows the assembly to be quickly, safely and rigidly attached to the antenna tip. The antenna mounting means utilizes the electronic light enclosure which has a threaded lower section, in combination with a central attachment structure having a base with a lower surface that includes a concave section, an upper, threaded enclosure attachment cavity and a lower, threaded cup attachment cavity; an enclosure attachment cup having internal threads, an antenna tip opening; and a compression washer. The attachment is accomplished as follows:
1. The upper threaded cavity of the central attachment structure is threaded into the threaded lower section of the electronic light enclosure,
2. The enclosure attachment cup is inserted over the antenna followed by the insertion of the resilient washer, and
3. The enclosure attachment cup is threaded into the lower cup attachment cavity of the central attachment structure and tightened with the resilient washer applying a bias pressure to the the vehicle antenna tip which is placed against the concave section of the central attachment structure to thus, securely attach the vehicle antenna light assembly to the antenna tip.
In some vehicles, the diameter of the antenna tip is smaller than the diameter of the antenna tip opening on the enclosure attachment cup which requires additional support to secure the assembly to the antenna tip. In this case a metal washer is inserted between the resilient washer and the cup. The washer has a smaller diameter which allows the antenna tip to remain within the confines of the cup opening.
In view of the above disclosure, it is the primary object of the invention to produce a vehicle novelty light that when attached to the tip of a vehicle antenna, the light will illuminate whenever the external environment is dark and when the vehicle is moving.
In addition to the primary object of the invention it is also an object of the invention to produce a vehicle antenna light that:
is easily attached and removed from the vehicle""s antenna tip,
can be produced with various colors of LED""s,
adds to the aesthetics of the vehicle antenna,
automatically illuminates when the external environment is dark and the vehicle is moving,
can be adapted to be used in various type of land vehicles or boats, and
is cost effective from both a manufacturer""s and consumer""s points of view.
These and other objects and advantages of the present invention will become apparent from the subsequent detailed description of the preferred embodiment and the appended claims taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.